After “determining surgery”, Marcelo will be hospitalized for two days (but recovery will take 15)

The President of the Republic is expected to remain hospitalized for two days at Hospital de São João, in Porto, where he underwent surgery for an “incarcerated hernia”; and recovery could take two weeks – hospital sources revealed.

The President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa underwent surgery and the surgery went wellreported on Monday night a note from Belém.

“The President of the Republic is already awake and in a good mood”, added the note, released a few minutes before midnight, around two hours after it was announced that the head of state would undergo surgery at a “incarcerated hernia”.

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, aged 76, was admitted to Hospital de São João, in Porto, after feeling unwell, following a digestive arrest.

On the official website, the Presidency of the Republic then explained that the head of State he felt unwell “when he returned from Amarantefrom the funeral of Engineer António Mota”.

“The doctors from the Presidency of the Republic understood that, before making the return trip to Lisbon, it would be better to carry out medical examinations, which are currently being carried out by the medical team at this National Health Service hospital”, added the note.

Speaking to journalists, Maria João Baptistathe president of the board of directors of Hospital de São João, the Portuguese head of state should remain hospitalized “predictably” for two days.

For her part, the clinical director of the Hospital, Elizabeth Barbosasaid that the President will need rest and that “within two weeks “He will be recovered.”

“Determining” surgery

Still according to doctor Elisabete Barbosa, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had symptoms of “intestinal occlusion and vomiting” and that the surgery “was decisive” and done “in a timely manner”.

“If more time had passed, we would have had to do intestinal recession,” he said.

Asked about the head of state’s recovery time, Maria João Baptista highlighted that “it is expected that, if everything is going well, the recovery time will be relatively short”.

“He will remain in the hospital as long as necessary,” he said.

Asked what could have gone wrong if it had not been operated promptly, Maria João Baptista explained that “there could have been some complications” associated with “incarcerated hernias that are not treated in a timely manner”.

In other words, “if the blood stops circulating, that tissue dies and it may be necessary to remove part of the intestine”, he explained.

The next few days, Baptista added, will be about rest and waiting for the intestine to start working again, to recover its function, with the doctor not expecting any further complications to arise.

“Mr. President is a very active person. Therefore, he will have to reduce his activity a little in these times”, added surgeon Elisabete Barbosa.

Finally, the president of the board of directors confirmed that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “you can receive visitors”.

Will continue to perform “full” functions

The head of the Civil House of the President of the Republic, Fernando Frutuoso de Meloadmitted that the head of state could make “an adaptation of the agenda” in the coming times, but “will continue to perform functions fully”.

Frutuoso de Melo was speaking to journalists at the Hospital de São João, in Porto, after finishing the surgery that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa underwent.

After the medical team advised the President of the Republic to reduce his pace over the next two weeks, journalists questioned the head of the Civil House about the necessary adaptations to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s agenda.

“The President already wanted to discuss this now, I was the one who convinced him to discuss it tomorrow (Tuesday). It is obvious that the agenda for tomorrow and the day after (Tuesday and Wednesday) is cancelled, we will see later”, stated Frutuoso de Melo, ruling out any need to replace Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

According to the Constitution, if there was a temporary impediment of the President of the Republic, his functions would be assumed by the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco.

“What is planned is the replacement in case of the President’s incapacity. This is not the case, he is perfectly capable. He has already been discussing matters with me, I wanted to review the agenda”, explained the head of the Civil House.

Fernando Frutuoso de Melo reiterated that “the operation went very well, the team was fantastic, everything went very well”.